The refreshed Google Maps app is cool in a lot of ways, but it was a big change and we're still finding little tricks to make things smoother. Some users were annoyed that there is no longer a direct Navigation app icon, meaning more taps to actually start turn-by-turn navigation. There is a shortcut, though.

Skip all that

When you search for a location in Google Maps, there is an information bar at the bottom with the route button.

Anyone that reads on a mobile device, but doesn't dig Amazon's Kindle thing is probably using Aldiko. This is a super-popular ebook reader that supports EPUB, PDF, and Adobe DRM ebooks. It also works with titles rented through public libraries. You're probably going to wish it worked with more services because the new update looks excellent.

Dynamic Keyboard made quite a splash when the demo video went online last week. This is a new Android keyboard that uses word prediction to change the size of the keys it thinks you are most likely to need. It’s an interesting approach, and one you need to experience for yourself to really judge. Well, now you can. It’s available in both free and paid versions in Google Play.

Hexage has been creating some of the best games on Android since early in the platform's run. It has a distinct style that has evolved through the years as Android acquired more graphical prowess. That leads us to the newest Hexage title, Reaper. This is a 2D hack-and-slash RPG with a casual style of gameplay and a ton of pizazz. Unlike some previous Hexage games, this one is not free-to-play. You can try it out, but you've got to make a decision about buying the full version.

It's no secret that I enjoy Autodesk mobile apps. From Pixlr Express to Sketchbook to AutoCAD 360, it's hard to find an instance when the company has produced a sub-par piece of mobile software.

Continuing that trend, Autodesk released FormIt to the Play Store today, two months after teasing the app's progress on its blog. The former iOS exclusive is meant to help users quickly create and manipulate building forms based on quick ideas or inspiration while on the go.

More and more developers are taking advantage of the nifty new ability to start a semi-closed beta on the Google Play Store via Google+. The latest is TeslaCoil Software, makers of the customization tool WidgetLocker (among other things). If you want to try out the latest and possibly greatest version of WidgetLocker, just head for this Google+ Community and join in.

Joining the beta is quite simple. Once you join the community, click the Play Store link that's displayed on the page, go through the standard warnings and whatnot, and you'll be directed to a seemingly normal Play Store entry for the app.

When Apple buys a company, you have to expect any associated Android apps are going to bite the dust. Indeed, that appears to be the situation with the popular public transit app HopStop, which was bought by Apple a few months ago. The Windows Phone app (yes, it had a Windows Phone version) disappeared first, and now it's Google Play's turn to feel the sting of an Apple acquisition.

As the work week draws to a close, you're probably making plans for the weekend – friends, family, and all that. Cancel them. We've got a raft of sales that'll keep you busy for the next few days. The inviting glow of a touchscreen is all you really need to feel whole anyway.

The increasingly misnamed Final Fantasy series of role-playing games has been around for just shy of 26 years. In that time it's spanned the gaming spectrum from undeniable classic (FFIII and FFVII) to forgettable mess (pretty much everything since X-2), but it remains the unstoppable juggernaut of the Japanese RPG scene. Now Square Enix (that's Squaresoft for those of you who remember the days before the Xbox 360) is hoping to cash in on your nostalgia with Final Fantasy All The Bravest, a simplified RPG that combines the "endless" style of play with the company's rich intellectual property.

Earlier today, Google started slowly rolling out an update to Maps with version 7.2. This is a point release, up from 7.1, so I expected more than just minor changes. While not as big as the quiet Drive update yesterday, Maps 7.2 brings a few notable changes to the table that Google has not yet (or won't ever) itemized in the changelog. Upon getting my hands on the APK, which you can find at the bottom of this post, I hopped onto the teardown couch and dug in.